ORIGINAL PAPERS. POR THE EMERALD. THE WANDERER, No. 62, = PROFESSIONAL EMINENCE. and the professors in each have generally possessed the same advantages when they commence their professional career. With these similar qualifications at the outset, it may be pleasing to examine which acquires most celebrity in the progress of the course. The proverb indeed says, comparisons are odious, and it says truly when the object is AMONG those avocations which re- to elevate without merit or to dequire mental exertion and capacity, press without fault; but we trust custom, with perhaps too little dis- nothing invidious will be found in an crimination, has considered three attempt to ascertain the comparative only as learned and liberal profes-eminence of the professional characsions. The necessity of these inter in the United States. society, and their influence in a free The predominence of merit congovernment, make them peculiarly the objects of respect and attention. It is natural to pay deference to intellectual eminence, to reverence that dignity, which is required by superiority of mind, and to admire the influence of those powers which enable man to govern while he seems only to persuade. stitues professional as it does individual character. In each of these avocations individuals will be found of great and original talents, and of bold and aspiring minds, wonderful alike for the vigor of intellectual strength and correctness of moral sentiment; and though severe, it is yet truth to remark,that in each, characters will be found who add nothing to their profession but disgrace and dishonor. The three learned professions present a field for eminence and honor, which is bounded only by the finite nature of the human mind. Genius may wanton without restraint, and labor forever find new obstacles to remove, every faculty is employed, every sense occupied, and the whole soul called forward to display its most secluded opera-a man is to make an impression by tions. There are several reasons, which contribute to make the profession of Law one of the most eminent in this country. It is in itself a profession where the appearance of talent will never answer for the reality. Where the weight of his own intellectual For practice in either of these pro- powers and the solidity of his mind. fessions, custom and necessity e- Where there is a free competition qually demand a good education as to every interest, and motives sufthe ground work of respectability; ficiently strong to engage the ut VOL. II. C partial eye, and estimate his capaci ty with accuracy and truth. If the presence of numerous spec tators has any influence on an ambitious mind, (and that the influence is extensive nobody will deny,) sur most exertion. When justice is administered with impartiality,nothing ever bends through favor to the advocate. His genius may command admiration, his acuteness and penetration may elucidate the abstrusities of truth; and the artfulnessly when a part of the body is com of ingentious sophistry, woven by the dexterity and skill of an original mind may perplex and obscure what is perhaps not consistent enough to stand in open light. But it is to the possession of these talents, that the advocate owes his reputation and his wealth. The necessities of mankind drive them for refuge to these great talents, and they seek them wherever they can be found. posed of men able to estimate prefessional talents, and versed by experience in all the duties of the speaker, it must give a double spit to his exertions and new vigour to his strength. But the influence of such a boy of censors on professional practice is not merely to give animation the ambitious, or spirit to those wi are desirous of fame, but it keeps the faculties and talents, which w out such restraint would luxuist beyond their strength, into a course that gives force by compression and power by proper direction With other circumstances equ this superintendance of a set of mea who are adequate to the task, is s ficient to give pre-eminence to the law. They encourage the diffideta The profession of law is attended with this farther mean of creating eminence, that most of its practice is in the eye of the country, open to the inspection and remark of every critical observer. A man has an inducenient for exertion when his merits are to be displayed on a grand theatre, and before a numerous audience. When the rivalship of talents is to be seen and deter-they reward the industrious, and mined, when he is placed on a race they direct with proper care these ground with emulous rivals, desir- scattered talents, that would becom? cus of partaking new honors or too diffuse for any valuable purpose jealous of former reputation, and when by sedulous attention to the business in which he is engaged, he is not only serving the interest of his client, but ministering at the same time to his vanity and his wealth. The profession of Physic des like that of law, require great tales to ensure success. It calls for th nice discrimination and judicions manner which can trace the boun aries of different diseases, when most amalgamated, and that qu perception and prompt determ nation, which can alone contend with the formidable ministry death. But the practice of the phy sician is confined to the dark chan bers of the sick, and it is but rare There is yet another cause of professional eminence exclusively confined to the law. Its practice is conducted before the most learned and respectable of the profession, who are selected for their erudition and skill. The Judges form anthe world either wishes to know Areopagus of dignity, impressing a respect and regard on the mind of the advocate, and place him before able and intelligent censors, who regard his actions with an im can get information what system has followed, or which among t learned brethren of Esculapius has taken for his patron. It wa wittily remarked by a pavier whe speaking to a physician, "Mine, sir, is not the only bad work the ground covers." This was intended for humor, but it has all the pungency of truth. The mistakes of a physician are kindly concealed by the grave. Few understand the merit of his prescriptions or their effects on the patient; he may make experiments at pleasure and few have sufficient information to detect the empyricism. effects will undoubtedly increase the quantity of knowledge, and the respectability of all concerned in disseminating it. The establishment of medical societies in various districts of the country, a liberality in the communication of discoveries either in the method of treatment or the composition of medicine, that free communication of important information which makes the experience of These circumstances are draw- one the common benefit of all, and backs on the professional eminence the resolution of excluding from of physicians. Some indeed, and we the general confidence those ignohope a large number, making a rant pretenders who, under the decomplete professional knowledge nomination of remedies, are too of their sole object and desire, have ten distributing poison, and trifling acquired reputation never to be with life-the important discoveries shaken and been distinguished bless- made in the sciences immediately ings to their country, by means of connected with physic, and the entheir intelligence and skill. But creasing liberality which does not mankind are generally influenced confine within prescribed systems, by human motives. Where there merely because they have always are powerful inducements for exer- been in use-these will extend their tion, there is most commonly the beneficial effects and the general greatest talent, and where there is a professional reputation of the dispossibility of gliding through life ciples of Esculapius will yield to without labor, many will be content-no body of men in any one point of ed to float on the stream of ignorance. excellence. Hence, as the profession of medicine is destitute of many of those powerful attractions which lead to eminence and celebrity, and has in addition those circumstances, which favour in some degree ignorance and deception, it has not attained the greatest general professional emience, and though boasting many distinguished professors whose labors have deprived death of many of his shafts and weakened in some instances the force of his bow, it has not equalled in general reputation a more popular profession. Yet, although this is in the opinion of the Wanderer as to its present situation, it must be confessed that arrangements are forming among the professors of the healing art to establish those regulations whose Of the profession of divinity we would speak with respect. It is of the first consequence in society, as it in a great measure regulates the manners, morals and lives of the citizens, and far be it from us to lessen its influence by diminishing from its respect. If we point out the obstacles which retard its emi-nence, we do no more than show the means which can by a different regulation increase its respectabili ty and influence. To a really good man the desire of performing his ministerial duty would be a sufficient motive for exertion; and adthough in the clerical robes there is a large proportion who pursue this honorable part, yet it must be confessed there are others who wear them as the mere liveries of busi ness. Such men want a greater stimulus for exertion than the proThe fession of divinity affords. establishment of our clergy gives but little reward for exertion, it holds out few enticements to ambition, no remuneration for unexpected or unusual labour. The benifice is an estate for life; carelessness seldom operates a forfeiture, and industry gives it no increase of value. FOR THE EMERALD. The history of literature, or rather the progress of the human mind, is a subject of interesting and curious enquiry, In the enjoyment of those literary berefits which the labour of successive ages has procured, we are indeed too apt to forget the obscurity that once gathered round the mind, and the means by which that ignorance was dissipated which kept inactive the noblest part of men. By a slow but regular progression, the faculties and genius have enlarge, and every successive generation comenced the business of life with the advantage of all that experience which past ages had acquired. The history of these events must be interesting to the lovers of literature, and for that purpose me introduce the following able sketch from an European publication of the first rereputation. Let it not be thrown aside because it is long, and cast not that reflection on your own taste, as to say it is too tedious to be read with attention. The gold is not procured from the mine without difficulty, nor is it collected for daily use without the necessity of labour. SKETCH of the HISTORY of LITERA We should not enquire whether this ought to produce negligence and inattention; but, in deciding on a question of fact, merely ascertain whether it does or does not? The violent disputes on the faith, at a time when toleration was hardly understood, kept alive the vigilance of ministers who had to fight with weapons of logic in order to make their claims to its defence. But at 'present a milder spirit ensures tranquility; though sectaries abound, polemical divinity is in very little use, and the ambition and zeal of the public defenders of Christianity is altogether confined within the Ir we cast our eyes back upon limits of their own parish, and in the ages of Greece and Rome, we the regular discharge of parochial behold prodigies of human intellect duties. And under these circum- that form the pre-eminent glory of stances it is not to be wondered that the human race. From these, men the profession of which we speak descended into darkness and a long has been little more than nominally night of ignorance. But genius a rival to others whose professors again rose from a deep sleep, and existed by their importance in pub-first imitating, afterwards rivalled, lic opinion, and the merit by which they obtained it. TURE IN EUROPE from the AGE of AV- DE LA HARPE. the excellence it admired. All that is proposed at present is, a rapid In this rapid sketch we have at- sketch of facts, without any inquiry tempted to illustrate the causes into their causes; and a brief Listwhich lead to professional emi-ry of letters and arts from the des nence, and their effects on the sev-cline of the Augustan age till the eral professions. We have no envy revival of taste under the Medici, to gratify, nor any prejudice to and that full splendour which sucplease. We mean no invidious dis-ceeded the time of Louis XIV. tinction, and trust to the candor of the reader to excuse our venturing on ground where it may perhaps be difficult to step without danger. Although it has been justly observed, that the triumph of the arts, among the ancients as well as the moderns, is peculiarly to be found in times of great political power aud greatness; yet to render the tri- and feelings were to be developed, umph solid and durable, something a crowd of obstacles to be removed, more than political prosperity seems and adversaries overcome; and what to be necessary. An eminent proof weapons but persuasion could the of this is in the period from Tro-founders of Christianity use? For jan to the last of the Antonines, a long time all power was with their princes amongst the best whose enemies. Hence it was that elomemory has been preserved by his- quence became the prevailing intorians. Under them the people strument of the champions of the were happily governed; for virtue new religion. St. Chrysostome, gave the law. The earth was hap-whose name alone recals the high py; yet genius slept. Some men ideas his cotemporaries had of his of refined judgment remained; but eloquence, may perhaps be'opposed in eloquence and poetry Rome and Greece were reduced to declaimers and sophists, occupied in dealing out praise for hire, or plunged into the unmeaning disputes of the schools. to whatever antiquity possessed of grand in that art. Who does not feel in the Fathers a happy mixture of dignity and tenderness, of the vehement and the pathetic, of sublimemovements and benignant touches, with all that facile and natural elo-cution which is one of the essential characters of every age that has formed a grand epoch in the history of letters? With respect to the Pagan rhetoricians, the opponents of the Fathers, more of learning than of tal Towards the middle of the fourth century, when Rome was no longer the sole capital of the world; when barbarians on every side menaced a corrupted people, pretending still to the empire of the universe, a new eloquence arose with a new religion, which, from prisons and the scaffold, mounted the throne of the Ca-ents or eloquence was to be found sars. This august and powerful amongst them. And after this tranvoice was that of the orators of sient splendour, which religion had Christianity; although such is the restored to letters, the irruptions of power of prejudice, that perhaps the barbarians, from the fifth to the there may be some surprize on tenth century, more and more spread hearing men thus described who over the West the darkness of igare no longer known to us but as norance; and if during this long inFathers of the Church; and no terval some men superior to the doubt, it will be unexpected to rank rest arose, none of them had force as successors of Demosthenes and enough to elevate degraded letters Cicero, men whom we are accus- or the decayed arts. Constantinotomed to view as the successors of ple was now the centre of these in the Apostles. Without, however, their fallen condition; but the schowounding the veneration which is lastic art, with its controversies, given to the latter title, it is princi-joined with religion which it corpally with relation to the influence rupted, had acquired an impor of their genius and talents on let-tance which discouraged every othters that we have now to consider er study among the nations who them. And regarding the Fathers had reared their throne amidst the in this point of view, we may read-1uins of the Roman empire. Theily descry the causes which thus odoric, who accomplished more for contributed to give a new life to el-letters than could have been expect-oquence. A new order of ideased from a Gothic king, was unable |